AB 975 – Accountability in Nonprofit Hospitals

Have you ever wondered about what a business or an organization has to provide in order to acquire and keep a not-for-profit (aka nonprofit) status?

Well the truth is most of us don’t really think about it…but we should because some of those nonprofit entities, such as hospitals, are not really held to account with respect to their end of the bargain. Now, we are not saying any of these businesses are not doing a good job and are not operating above board, but a recent study (conducted by California Nurses Association) shows some major hospitals may not be providing enough “charity” care to the communities they are suppose to serve.

Our guest, RN and Director of Government Relations for CNA, Bonnie Castillo will talk about a bill, AB 975 that aims to press California non-profit hospitals to fulfill their charity care obligation in exchange for the substantial public financing they receive through their tax-exempt status. It passed its first hurdle last Tuesday in the California Assembly Health Committee, overcoming opposition from California’s biggest hospital corporations and its allies.

The bill won broad support in the committee hearing from nurse members of the California Nurses Association who attended the hearing in a sea of red scrubs.

RELATED NEWS:

Legislation to press California non-profit hospitals to fulfill their charity care obligation in exchange for the substantial public financing they receive through their tax exempt status passed its first hurdle Tuesday in the California Assembly Health Committee overcoming opposition from California’s biggest hospital corporations and its allies. —California Nurses Association, 04/03/13 More »